title>On the Road: June 2004 Archives - BootsnAll Travelogues
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June 30, 2004

Hanoi

Hanoi is a beautiful city of lakes and tree-lined streets. The buildings are narrow but tall and long because they used to be taxed according to the amount of street front they occupied. A lot of the architecture is a...

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Posted by Rowena on June 30, 2004 03:36 PM
Category: Vietnam

June 28, 2004

Singapore

I didn't like Singapore the first time I was there. Coming from six months in China, Thailand and Malaysia, it seemed soulless and fake, a plastic Disneyland of a city. I scorned the too-clean streets and swanky shops, believing the...

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Posted by Rowena on June 28, 2004 03:08 PM
Category: Singapore

June 27, 2004

Bombay

We got a bicycle rickshaw to Agra train station and I felt so bad for the driver with the weight of our bags that I paid him double. Ash's train was 3 hours earlier than mine, which left at 23.30,...

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Posted by Rowena on June 27, 2004 03:00 PM
Category: India

June 25, 2004

Agra

I wondered whether the Taj Mahal would be a let-down after having seen so many pictures of it, but it was absolutely spectacular. Looking at it through the gardens and canals it was imposing and serene. Close up, the marble...

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Posted by Rowena on June 25, 2004 02:45 PM
Category: India

June 23, 2004

Ranthambore

The doctor at the hospital in Ranthambore looked like an Indian version of Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Unfortunately, neither he, nor any of the other people there spoke English, and it was a tiny, dirty place. I was...

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Posted by Rowena on June 23, 2004 02:39 PM
Category: India

Pushkar

We emerged from the car in Pushkar, and were immediately scammed. Ash asked the whereabouts of a guesthouse we'd chosen, and some boys gave us directions. They followed us and we found ourselves at the sacred lake, where they shoved...

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Posted by Rowena on June 23, 2004 02:26 PM
Category: India

June 21, 2004

Jaipur

We arrived in Delhi and after a shower, travelled by car down to Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. It's known as the "Pink City" because it was painted that colour (symbolising hospitality) in honour of the Prince of Wales' visit...

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Posted by Rowena on June 21, 2004 02:10 PM
Category: India

June 20, 2004

Himalayas

It was around 35 degrees, airless and dusty, when the bus rolled to a stop beside the river gorge. 14.30: time for prayers, and the Muslim clergyman (priest? cleric?) got up at the front behind the driver and started preaching....

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Posted by Rowena on June 20, 2004 05:08 PM
Category: India

June 16, 2004

Dal Lake

Lake Dal - in the middle of Srinagar - was beautiful, surrounded by mountains and dotted with shikaras (gondola-like boats with canopies). It was connected to three other lakes by a series of canals bordered by lillies and little houses...

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Posted by Rowena on June 16, 2004 04:52 PM
Category: India

June 15, 2004

Srinagar

The following morning, we flew to Kashmir. In retrospect, this was not a good idea. We were persuaded by the travel agent's talk of a ceasefire, and by speaking to tourists who were up there, but it is against FCO...

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Posted by Rowena on June 15, 2004 04:41 PM
Category: India

June 14, 2004

Delhi

I navigated Delhi airport with Ash, who I'd sat next to on the plane. We got a taxi to the hostel I'd booked, and peered out at the dusty streets with ramshackle storefronts and people sitting around and sleeping. The...

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Posted by Rowena on June 14, 2004 04:28 PM
Category: India

June 13, 2004

Heathrow

At the airport, a big TV was showing the Euro 2004 England vs. France match in a departure lounge. The sound was down really low, so everyone had to be quiet to hear what was going on. I sat between...

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Posted by Rowena on June 13, 2004 04:04 PM
Category: England

London

I took the Starbus from the Gare du Midi to Victoria. It runs from Oslo to London, so by the time I board in Brussels, some passengers have been on the bus for a good 20 hours. From the look...

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Posted by Rowena on June 13, 2004 03:56 PM
Category: England

June 11, 2004

Trepidation

With one day to go before the off, my stuff is stacked but not yet packed. How I am going to fit everything into my bag, I do not know. The weather here has been beautiful lately, and it reached...

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Posted by Rowena on June 11, 2004 03:57 PM
Category: Pre-Departure

June 04, 2004

Itinerary

Itinerary I bought a RTW ticket called "The Great Escapade" with Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, SilkAir and Virgin Atlantic. I saw it on the Trailfinders website, and ended up purchasing it through them. I'm taking the bus from Brussels...

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Posted by Rowena on June 4, 2004 05:36 PM
Category: About the Trip

June 01, 2004

On the Road

The title "On the Road" is probably inaccurate, since I'll be mainly travelling by plane and train and will be "In the Sky" and "On the Rails" more than anything. I chose it because... for a start I couldn't think...

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Posted by Rowena on June 1, 2004 12:18 AM
Category: About Me
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